


Intuition

by bluemoonmaverick



Series: Supposition [26]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Angst, Episode Related, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-13
Updated: 2014-07-13
Packaged: 2018-02-08 18:07:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1951008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluemoonmaverick/pseuds/bluemoonmaverick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This story is part of a series that, while sticking strictly to canon, explores the theory that Sam and Jack were engaged in a clandestine romance off-screen from Season 6 onward.</p>
<p>This tag takes place during the events of The Quest and The Return.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Intuition

**Author's Note:**

> For the purposes of this tag, I'm assuming that the events of The Quest and The Return overlap with each other. Not only does it suit my story, but it also explains why Weir and company didn't have any members of SG-1 accompany them on their covert mission back to Atlantis. Enjoy!

Sam sat in her lab, staring at her computer without really looking at the numbers scrolling across the screen. She kept thinking back to the debriefing, or more accurately, to the information she had learned after the debriefing.

They had just finished giving Landry the run down on how they'd escaped from Adria but lost Daniel in the process when Landry had looked directly at Sam and announced he had some more bad news. Quickly, he gave an abbreviated version of all that had transpired with the Lanteans' return to Atlantis before finally coming to the critical point.

"I'm afraid that Atlantis has been overtaken by human form Replicators. Last we heard, the Lanteans were killed, and Richard Woolsey and General O'Neill were hiding in an underutilized area of the city. That was three days ago."

Sam was too stunned to speak. Not once had she considered the possibility that Jack's diplomatic mission to Atlantis would put him at risk, though she knew that was always a possibility anytime they stepped through the 'gate. Her stomach dropped as the magnitude of the situation hit her. Now, both her husband and her best friend were missing.

As she struggled to get a grip on her turbulent emotions, Cam thankfully asked the one question that had been at the forefront of her mind. "I assume you're planning a rescue, sir?"

Landry humphed. "The _Daedalus_ is on its way, but as it turns out, an unofficial rescue attempt of sorts was mounted just yesterday. Dr. Weir, Colonel Sheppard, and a handful of others from Atlantis took a jumper through the Stargate, presumably with the intent of retaking the City."

Cam had immediately offered to follow but was instantly denied. After that, Sam had completely zoned out, her thoughts solely on Jack and the fact that no one had heard from him in over 72 hours.

The remainder of the day she'd spent on autopilot, simply going through the motions - infirmary, showers, commissary - until she finally found herself alone in her lab. Throughout it all, she had concentrated on not panicking, but the memories of Jack's disappearance with Maybourne, his imprisonment by Ba'al, and even the three months he spent trapped on Edora kept playing over and over again in her mind.

She'd just closed her eyes in resignation when she was startled by a quiet knock. She turned to see their newest team member standing in her doorway.

"Vala."

Sam felt a sudden surge of anger at the interruption. She had no desire to talk to anyone, least of all the audacious alien who had somehow managed to worm her way into their otherwise tight knit group. But if Vala had any inkling regarding Sam's mood, she didn't show it.

"May I?" she asked, gesturing at the stool.

Sam hesitated before finally giving in. "Ah, sure." She let out a large breath of air and tried to reign in her irritation. "Just give me a moment to finish this." With that, she turned back toward her computer and began typing, vaguely hoping that if she ignored the woman she just might go away.

Vala sat down slowly on the stool and was quiet for several seconds before she finally spoke. "So, I was wondering. How do you do it?"

Sam furrowed her brow and kept her eyes on her computer. "Do what?"

"How do you keep functioning knowing that the man you love may not be coming back?"

Sam stopped typing mid sentence, utterly dumfounded, as two critical facts became apparent. The first was that Vala clearly cared for Daniel a lot more than anyone, including Daniel, realized. And second, she knew about Sam's relationship with Jack and likely had for some time.

Sam briefly considered feigning ignorance but ultimately decided that Vala had probably received all the confirmation she needed by her body language alone. She turned slowly to face her.

"I've had a lot of practice," she said quietly. "How did-?"

Vala smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Darling. You're good at reading..." she gestured at the monitor, "whatever that is. I'm good at reading people."

Sam continued to stare at her blankly as though she had no clue what she meant, so Vala leaned across the table toward her, keeping her voice low as though letting her in on a great secret.

"It's a thousand little things. The way his gaze constantly drifts back to you, even when he's addressing a room full of people. How he sits ever so slightly too close to you to be entirely proper. And when he looks at you...well, it's like he's completely fascinated, as though he's never seen anything quite like you and can't believe you're real, though I know you've spent the better part of the last ten years together."

Now Sam was even more shocked than before, because as far as she was aware, Vala had only ever met Jack once, at the briefing before their first mission to Kallana.

"You are a very lucky woman, Samantha," she continued. "Most people go through their entire lives looking for that kind of thing."

Sam wondered briefly if Vala was talking about herself. But that thought was immediately replaced by the troubling knowledge that there was now one more person who knew about her relationship with her former commanding officer.

Vala, true to her word, had no problem interpreting the expression on her face. "Don't worry," she said as she gave Sam's hand a quick squeeze, "your secret is safe with me."

For some reason, Sam believed her. Vala stood and began to leave.

"Vala," she called after her, catching her just as she was about to walk out the door. She turned to face her. "You have to believe we'll get him back."

She smiled again, but this time Sam could plainly see the pain behind it. "And how do I do that?"

"Because you don't have any other choice."

oOoOoOo

Well over 48 hours later, Sam was still in her lab, having barely left it since SG-1 had returned and she'd been informed of the situation with Atlantis. Despite multiple unscheduled off world activations in the 'gate room, there had been no further word from the Pegasus galaxy, and it was taking all of her willpower not to give in to despair. Her talk with Vala had provided some comfort, but it was Daniel's shoulder she needed to cry on, and his absence made Jack's all that much more difficult to bear.

Glancing at the clock on her computer, she noticed that it was after midnight. She had just decided that she should return to her quarters and attempt to sleep, when she sensed a presence behind her. She turned to find her husband standing in the doorway, clothing rumpled and silver hair sticking up in all directions. Her heart leapt. She'd never seen a more beautiful sight.

"Jack," she said quietly, her voice breaking on the word.

She was off her stool and in his arms before he had time to fully close the door to her lab. Holding her tightly, he maneuvered them toward the corner of her lab, away from the view of the camera. "Oh god, Jack," she whispered, and then his lips found hers. It was only after he finally pulled back a little and began using the pads of his thumbs to wipe away her tears that she realized she was crying.

"How did you-?"

He smiled down at her. "Had a little help from some friends."

"And they're okay?" In all the time she had spent worrying about Jack and Daniel, she'd almost forgotten that most of Atlantis' leadership team was missing as well.

"They're fine. Even Woolsey managed not to get himself killed."

She let out a small laugh and buried her face in his chest, inhaling the scent of him and reveling in the warmth of his embrace. But just as she was finally starting to relax, she suddenly remembered her own mission. She tensed in his arms.

"Daniel's gone."

"I know," he whispered into her hair. "We'll get him back."

"But-"

"Sam, trust me. We lose Daniel all the time. He always wanders back eventually. It's what he does."

She knew he was right, that she just needed to have a little faith. After all, hadn't she told Vala the same thing? She suddenly felt hopeful for the first time in days.

"So," he began as he leaned back, his eyes twinkling. "Did you really punch Ba'al in the face?"

She smirked. "I did."

He laughed and kissed her on the forehead. "Let's go home. As I told Weir, I'm ready for a hot shower, a hot toddy, and a hot blond."

"You said that?" she asked, her eyebrows shooting to the top of her head.

He gave her a wicked grin. "Pretty much. Though I'm starting to rethink the order."

**Author's Note:**

> Anyone else convinced that was how Jack was going to end that sentence before Weir cut him off?


End file.
